Reclining furniture



June 1, 1943. B, BLQCK 2,320,907

RECLINING FURNITURE Filed Jan. 14, 1941 INVENTOR. i BY ward H.,Bl0C/f ATTORNEY Patented June 1, 1943 UNiTso s'r'rs Parar orrlc RECLININ G FURNITURE Bernard H. Block, Detroit, Mich. Application-January 14, 1941., Serial No. 374,349- ioiaim.' (c1. 155 5v) My invention pertains to adjustable furniture and more particularly to improved reclining chairs of the sliding tiltable type, which assume various inclined positions by a sliding movement rather than by tilting about -a fixed axis.

It is an object of my invention tolprovide an improved reclining chair of the sliding tiltable type which is simple and cheap to construct and which operates in a smooth pleasant manner in response to movements by the occupant for assuming the degree of inclination desired by the occupant, and which safely holds the desired inclined position during normal movements of the occupant. 1 Y

It is also'an object of my invention to-.provide a sliding tiltable reclining chair comprising, la seat, a back rest secured to and rising from said seat, a pair of base bearing blocks, one being disposed under each side of the seat of the chair for tiltably supporting the same, each base block having a straight inclined bearing surface exposed upwardly and rearwardly at the rear end of the block and a convex bearing surface exposed upwardly and forwardly adjacent the other end of each base block, structural members under the sides of the seat, and bearing surfaces projecting from the structural members for slidably engaging on the straight inclined surfaces and on the convex bearing surfaces of the adjacent base bearing blocks to support the chair for smooth slidable tilting movement thereon.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such a sliding tiltable reclining chair having stop members projecting into an open or cut away portion in each base block for movement therein as the chair is slidably tilted and for striking the edges thereof to limit the tilting movement of the chair when it has been inclined to an extreme safe position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a base or pedestal for supporting slidably adjustable tilting chairs comprising, an elongated base member having an elongated bottom edge surface for resting on a floor, the upper edge of said base member being conformed to provide a straight inclined bearing surface adjacent one end and a curved bearing surface adjacent the other end, and a cut away portion in said base member for receiving and limiting the movement of a stop member to be inserted therein.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of my invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification in conjunction with the drawing disclosing a form of my invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View, partially broken away, showing a frame of a tiltable reclining chair arranged in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my improved tiltable reclining chair comprises a seat I which may be constructed and upholstered for beauty` and comfort in any conventional manner, and which is shown broken away to expose the seat frame and chair supporting structure.

The seat supporting frame comprises two outer side rails 3 which are disposed on opposite sides under the right hand and the left hand sides of the seat. Two inner side rails 5 are provided under the seat spaced inwardly from the two outer side rails 3. A bearing block 'l is disposed between each pair of spaced side rails 3 and 5 and by suitable fastening means 9, such as screws or bolts, these three pieces are secured firmly together forming two rigid side assemblies I0, one being disposed at each side of the seat.

As shown in Fig. 2, the bearing block I is provided in the lower edge with a cutaway or open portion or cavity II having inclined front and rear bearing surfaces I3 and I5 respectively. As shown, the rear bearing surface I5 is preferably inclined at a sharper angle to the horizontal than is the front bearing surface I3. The inner portion of both bearing surfaces in the bearing block 1 are curved in a concave fashion joining the horizontal upper wall I9 of the cavity II. The outer portions of both bearing surfaces are curved in a convex conformation, the front bearing surface I3 curving to the horizontal underside of the bearing block 1, and the rear bearing surface I5 curving convexly back and up again to the rear end of the bearing block. The bearing surfaces I3 and I5 in the bearing block 'I may be provided with metal facing strips 2| secured by nails or other suitable fastening members.

Front and back rails 23 and 25 are attached at opposite ends to the front and rear ends of the side assemblies I', as by screws or nails, forming the seat supporting frame of the chair. Rising upwardly from the rear ends of the side assemblies I 0 are back rest frame members 21 forming a back rest constructed and upholstered in any conventional manner desired. Projecting downwardly from the front ends of the side assemblies are front legs 29 which engage the floor, as forward limit stops. The front legs 28 may be integral with blocks 30 which join between the side rails 3 and 5 and which may have an upward extension 30 forming an arm rest. As shown in Fig. 2, the bearing blocks 'l in the side assemblies rest slidably upon elongated base blocks or pedestals 3l, the lower edges of which present elongated floor engaging surfaces 33', and the upper edges being suitably conformd to slidably engage the inclined bearing surfaces I3 and I5 in the cavity in the bearing block.

I provide each base bearing block 3l with a straight inclined bearing surface 35 exposed upwardly and rearwardly at the rear end. On the front end of each base block I provide a convex bearing surface 31 disposed upwardly and forwardly, as shown. The bearing surfaces on the base blocks and on the bearing blocks, provide two engaging points of contact under each side of the seat of the chair which may be slidably tilted to any desired inclining position by an appropriate movement of the occupant. Because of the relative cooperative shapes of the contacting bearing surfaces, the chair tilts with a smooth pleasant motion and safely holds the desired inclined position during normal movements of the occupant.

For limiting the tilting motion of the chair, I provide a cut-away open portion 39 in each base block and pass a stop bar 4l therethrough between each pair of spaced side bars 3 and 5 to which the ends of the bar are secured, as by nails or screws. The relative widths of the stop bars 4| and the sides of the opening 3S are so selected and positioned that the rear edges of the two stop bars abut the rear sides of the openings in the base or pedestal blocks at the extreme safe rearward inclination of the chair.

' within the scope of the invention,

It is apparent that the principles of operation of my improved slidable tilting mechanism are applicable to other types of furniture and that modifications and diierent arrangements may be made other than herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending variations thereof.

I claim:

A sliding tiltable reclining chair comprising, a seat, two outer side rails secured on opposite sides of said seat, two inner side rails secured to the respective outer side rails but spaced inwardly therefrom, a bearing block secured between each respective spaced pair of inner and outer side rails, a cut-away or open portion in the under side of each bearing block formed to present inclined downwardly directed convex front and rear bearing surfaces, a base block extending upwardly between each pair of spaced side rails to engage the inclined downwardly directed bearing surfaces in each .bearing block to support the chair in various inclined positions,

each base block having a convex front bearing surface for engaging the convex front inclined bearing surface in the adjacent bearing block, each base block having a straight bearing surface sloping downwardly and rearwardly for engaging the convex rear inclined bearing surface in each bearing block, a cut-away open portion in each base block, and a stop member projecting from a side rail on each side of the seat and extending into the cut-away open portion in each adjacent base block for limiting the tiltable movement of the chair thereon by engaging an edge of the cut-away opening in an extreme adjusted position of the chair.

BERNARD H. BLOCK. 

